Full name: Robert Falcon Scott Born: 6th June 1868 Place of Birth: Devonport, Portsmouth Occupation: Royal Navy Officer and Explorer Died: 29th March 1912

Robert Falcon Scott was a highly regarded Royal Navy Officer and explorer, born on 6th June 1868 in Devonport, Plymouth.  Scott became a naval cadet at the age of 13 and attended the officer training college HMS Britannia for two years to qualify to serve in the Royal Navy.  On completion of his training, Scott became midshipman on HMS Boadicea before becoming sub-lieutenant on HMS Spider followed by Lieutenant on HMS Amphibian.

Scott became lieutenant for torpedoes on HMS Majestic, the flagship of the Channel Squadron before he was made commander of the National Antarctic Expedition to Antarctica in 1899, which was organised by the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society.  The aim of the expedition was to explore the South Victoria Land, an ice barrier and the Antarctic Continent.

On 6th August 1901, as commander of HMS Discovery, Scott led his team on a treacherous expedition further south than any person had ever been before, which made Robert Falcon Scott a National hero.  Scott and his team eventually arrived at the foot of Mount Erebus on 8th February 1902 and set up camp at Hut Point for a period of two years.  Later that year, Scott, Ernest Shackleton and Adrian Wilson endured a difficult exploration further South to discover the South Victoria Mountains. 

In late 1903, Scott embarked on a second expedition to explore the polar ice caps but encountered navigation problems and Scott and his team were forced to return to base camp to further navigate their way to New Zealand.  Despite the problems and challenges faced by the team, the expedition was a success and they were able to make significant discoveries regarding the landscape and natural life in the Southern Continent.

Consequently, Scott was driven to organise and raise funds for another expedition to be the first to reach the South Pole.  The Terra-Nova expedition began in October 1910, with the assistance of mechanical sledges, ponies and dogs, which eventually surrendered under the extreme conditions and left the expedition to ascend without them.  On 17th January 1912, the team finally reached the South Pole but discovered they had been beaten by a Norwegian expedition.

Unfortunately, all five of the remaining men died on their return due to the extreme weather conditions, including Robert Falcon Scott.  After his death, on 29th March 1912, Robert Falcon Scott became a British hero and permanent memorials in his honour to recognise his achievements.